car coolant change

Bit of a faf on the xsara, but you have to attach a header tank to the err header tank.
Emptying the old coolant is pretty tricky and a lot gets left in. Thoroughly flushed.
Engine holds 11l, but only got about 6 in, so may have ended up diluting it 50/50, so possibly only down to -13 (from -25)
Elf citroen specific organic (OAT)
see file notes for more info

Feu vert

It's probably a record.  2 hours to change 4 tyres (2 of which were already off the car and in the boot) and tracking.  They took 45 minutes to do a 'security check, or if you are of the cynical leaning a 'how much more money can we squeeze out of the client' check.
So now I know there is less anti-freeze and brake fluid in the reservoirs as the sloppy grease monkey left trails over the engine compartment whilst checking concentration of both.  Apparently the coolant is no better than water and should be replaced immediately at a reduced cost of €48.
I'd assumed they had nearly finished at this point, but no, they had only just started.  Pretty glad I refused the coolant change as I hadn't taken dinner or a sleeping bag.

Like all good garages, they used a windy tool to put the wheel nuts on with.  I went to undo the near side, and ended up with a 1m bar to slacken off the nuts; this will be no less than 200Nm of torque, the recommendation being 85Nm.  The off side was better, but still massively over tightened.  I wouldn't have got either side off with the emergency tools that came with the car.

first fire

4 days later than last year, but we've lit the fire for the first time this Autumn.  Still using the logs stacked last year.  About 2.5 slabs used out of 6.  Each slab is very loosely 1 stere, and the wood is very mixed - little oak/beech.

31/1/15 used 1.5 stere.  2 stere towards the back and most of the side by the door left.
May 2015.   About 1.2 slabs left, meaning 2014/15 usage is (6 -2.5) - 1.2 = 2.3 stere.
14/5/15 Started cutting and splitting. About 25 average 20cm diameter logs fill the trailer.  This gives slightly less than 0.5 slab, and takes about 2.5 hours including filling the shed
After 3 trailer loads, >2 slabs, plus the end support wall by the door (0.5 slab) . Plus a good size snake.

Stihl Strimmer

Picked up an unwanted Stihl petrol stimmer today.
Doesn't want to start (reason for giving away) and runs okish.  The owner had spent over €200 getting the carb refitted etc, but to no avail.
FS280k.  Looks like it was ex rental.

Squeaky suspension

Had an odd squeak that seemed to be coming from the nearside rear.  A closer inspection localised it to the torsion bars.  Some stones had jumped up and lodged themselves between the bars and the main chassis member.  Oddly, the stones on the offside were to blame, even though there were much more on the nearside.

Slabs & pavers

Getting there.  My best side

It's not that obvious, but the border on the left of the path has been dug over by Laura and a lot of bind weed removed

40 pavers down and 100 to go.

14/10/14 Finished!

Deck jet wash

About 2 hours to do about 3/4 of the deck, with about 200L of stored water.
25/10/14 another 90 minutes and ~250L of stored water to finish.